China City Planning Review (No.2, 2013)

♦Formation Mechanism of the Cluster Space of Wuhan Metropolitan Area amid Evolution of Power Relationship
Author: Yan FENG, Jianwei YE, Yaping HUANG
Abstract: With the urban regionalization and regional urbanization, the spatial structure of cluster appears in some metropolitan areas, among which Wuhan can be taken as a typical case. This paper analyzes the formation of Wuhan metropolitan cluster space from the perspective of power relationship. A “twin-city” approach is developed in the peripheral area of Wuhan caused by the game between local governments at different levels. With the equal development opportunities in all directions and the alliances between different district governments and capital, the balancedly embedded cluster space is formed in Wuhan metropolitan area. And if there are no huge internal and external changes, the cluster space in Wuhan will continue to develop.
Keywords: evolution of power relationship; Wuhan metropolitan area; cluster space; formation mechanism

♦Study on Gregarious Low-Income College Graduates in Beijing: Tangjialing Phenomenon and Its Aftereffect
Author: Chaolin GU, Mingjie SHENG, Lingqian HU
Abstract: During China’s rapid urbanization process, the survival condition of low-income college graduates who live in urban villages has become a serious issue that attracts the attention of policy-makers and sociologists. Based on existing literatures, relevant information, and independent field investigations, this paper focuses on Tangjialing, an urban village where low-income college graduates gather, investigating on their current situations of sociological features and settlements, as well as the reasons for the formation of urban villages.
Keywords: China’s urbanization; low-income college graduates; gregarious phenomenon; urban villages in Beijing

♦Application of Greenhouse Gas Inventory to UrbanRural Planning in China Author: Stanley C. T. YIP
Abstract: Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory analysis provides crucial scientific basis to support the preparation of urban-rural planning policies on managing climate change. This article reviews current studies on GHG inventory in China and points out the short fall in translating these inventory data into specific local policies. It examines the issue of setting up the GHG inventory based on the statutory urban-rural planning systems in China. It enables the local government to set up a platform coordinating various city policies and to serve well as the platform for local emission mitigation and removal policies. The urban-rural planning GHG inventory system needs to address the issue of spatial boundary in accounting for local emission sources and origins with respect to the boundaries of planning area, and it must directly relate to the various statutory master plan policy contents and the local municipal government functional structure. Finally it presents a case study of applying the proposed inventory as a planning tool for Jiangyin at the Jiangsu Province.
Keywords: climate change; low carbon city; urban-rural planning; greenhouse gas inventory

♦Impact of Urban Form on Household Carbon Emission: Case Studies on Some Neighborhoods
Author: Bo QIN, Ran SHAO
Abstract: Based on 1,400 pieces of questionnaires collected in Beijing, this study applies LISA to identify the spatial clustering households with high and low carbon emissions, and explores the relationship between household carbon emissions and urban forms via intensive case studies on five neighborhoods. Results indicate that all of building density, land use pattern, employment accessibility, and public transportation accessibility influence remarkably on household carbon emissions, which suggests that the rational planning of urban form is necessary for the construction of low-carbon cities.
Keywords: household carbon emission; LISA; urban form; high (low) carbon neighborhood; Beijing

♦Response of Urban Planning to Climate Change in Rapidly Urbanizing Area: A Case Study of Nanjing
Author: Yuwei QI, Chaolin GU
Abstract: Global climate change is the greatest challenge for the survival of civilization in human history, to which a lot of countries all over the world have taken measures including the administrative and technical approaches in the field of urban planning. However, those approaches are mainly in line with the traditional urban planning principles and methodologies, with weak guidance to practice. Especially for the areas which are undergoing rapid urbanization, it is urgent to work on the critical problem of how to draw up city and regional plans to deal with the challenge of climate change by innovating the existing urban planning principles and methodologies. Taking Nanjing as example, this paper firstly puts forward the strategic principles to deal with the climate change in city master planning, including controlling urbanization speed and restricting disordered urban sprawl, balancing ecological system, protecting green spaces and ecologically fragile areas, enhancing the resilient ability to natural disasters and protecting urban security, and promoting sustainable development, etc., then presents the sustainable and flexible urban planning methods including adaptability assessment on spatial development, identification and delimitation of important ecological protection zones, risk assessment and early warning of disasters, clean production and energy-saving approaches, etc. It further explores some measures to addressing the issue of climate change that are applied in the new City Master Plan of Nanjing, including ① controlling the sprawl of construction land and protecting the ecological carbon sink spaces in order to weaken the impacts of climate change; ② guaranteeing the safety of ecological pattern and maintaining the balance of the urban eco-system in order to ensure the stability of local micro-climate and livable environment; ③ strengthening the regional flood-prevention in order to weaken the threat of natural disasters caused by climate change; ④ giving priority to public transportation and reducing carbon emissions in order to reduce the impacts of urban activities on the atmosphere.
Keywords: urbanization; climate change; urban planning; Nanjing

♦Innovative Theoretical Study and Technical Practice in Urban-Rural Eco-Planning and Green Building Construction
Author: Zhi YIN, Borong LIN
Abstract: In order to satisfy the demands of the rapid urbanization and improve the environment of China’s human settlements, the Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education on Urban-Rural Eco-Planning & Green Building at Tsinghua University was founded. This paper introduces the primary achievements in theoretical studies and technical practices by the lab from five perspectives in the past three years, as well as the future development.
Keywords: urban-rural eco-planning; green building; theory and practice; innovation

♦The Participation Role of Villagers in Village Plan Implementation: A Comparative Study on Two Villages in Guangxi
Author: Zhuang Autonomous Region, China Chengzhi YIN, Haitao CHEN
Abstract China is in a process of rapid urbanization. Meanwhile, building development in rural areas is also accelerating. The paper intends to illustrate an original study focusing on villagers’ role in participation in village plan implementation in rural areas of China. Case studies, comparative studies, interviews, and questionnaires have been applied to reveal the mechanism of villager participation in village plan implementation. Two case villages, which are pioneer units in the transition in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, have been selected. The study outcome shows that the villager participation plays an extremely important role in implementing the official village plan. The ideal development regulation mode in village planning in rural China should be a local government-villager cooperating system formed by three pillars: financial and technical supports from local governments; the participation of rural autonomous organizations, non-governmental organizations, and “able persons” in formulation, implementation, and monitoring of official village plans; village construction teams like developers.
Keywords: rural China; villager participation; village plan; development regulation

♦The Internal Layout of the Wards of Chang’an in the Tang Dynasty
Author: Hui SUN, Jiang LIANG
Abstract: The authors conduct a textual research on the internal layout of the wards of Chang’an in the Tang Dynasty and challenge the existing hypotheses and the conjectural model of the ward. Questions are raised from the aspects of spatial cognition, street hierarchy, and the regularity of urban fabric. The significant contrast of block dimensions between eastern and western cities is revealed, by comparing the layout pattern of the urban blocks of Tang Chang’an with that of Kahun of ancient Egypt, Olynthus of ancient Greece, Timgad of ancient Rome, and Mirande of the Middle Ages, as well as Old Herat of Afghanistan. It is concluded that a typical ward of Tang Chang’an had a dual structure of strict supergrid placed over residential quarters in an organic growth pattern. The socio-economic causes of this unique structure are also explored. Finally, the authors make a quantitative comparison between a ward in Tang Chang’an and Heijo-kyo of Japan respectively and illustrate the essential difference on concept and structure between the two models. Keywords: Tang Chang’an; ward; internal layout; block